The "Heyday"

       I have been blessed to have lived as long as I have but it has given me a view of life that is not always as pleasant as it should be.  We sometimes hear the expression, "in its hey day."  Actually, the word is "heyday" and has nothing to do with hay, the dried grass that is used as animal feed. Dictionary definition: Heyday = the period of one's greatest popularity, vigor, or prosperity. Heyday comes from the old Germanic word "heida" meaning "hurrah!"  We use the term quite often when we have observed the greatness of something and then to see it whither away.  Whatever the object is, you can see it lasting and peaking for about forty years and then see it crumble unless something happens to prevent it.  I used to drive down a street in Parkersburg, West Virginia past the book store where there were a lot of older homes that probably were really magnificent in their heyday.  At that time, however, the buildings were slowly falling to the ground.  Sometimes you could drive by and see boards lopsided, paint peeling, grass growing everywhere and then soon, the building was torn down and something else would be built to replace it.  They were great in their "heyday" but now were gone.  Sad to say, it can also happen to the greatest of churches.    Revelation 2:4 says, "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love."   
      Ephesus was one of the churches in the New Testament that had a lot of instruction and a great foundation.  We can learn about Ephesus from Acts as we see Paul's involvement in the establishment, care and teaching in that church.  Then, of course, we have the Book of Ephesians that Paul writes in connection to the church itself.  Then, there is a third mention of the church at Ephesus in the book of Revelation.  Ephesus was the first church mentioned in the "Letters to the Seven Churches."  The accusation against the church was the one mentioned in the above verse.  It would have been bad enough to hear the words, "Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee..."  That should have been sufficient fuel to spark the Ephesians into doing something about their problem.  The problem kept on and finally the warning was completed and their candlestick, or their witness, was removed.  Paul had mentioned in Acts that he had taught the whole counsel of God to the church at Ephesus.  He didn't leave anything out.  They had their "heyday" and now they were about to close the doors.  We are saddened about the church at Ephesus probably because the Book of Ephesians has so much in it for believers of all ages and especially for today.  In the first three chapters, Paul wrote about the extreme blessings that we have.  He then gives a glorious doxology at the e4nd of chapter three and then goes on with three more chapters that give us at least 38 imperatives.  An imperative is something you are commanded to do.  When we see the structure crumbling around us, we need to do something.  We need to get a broom and sweep up the rubble and fix the situation before the whole building collapses around our feet.  We still have much to learn and certainly to apply from the Book of Ephesians.  Praise God today for His Word.  May we take heed to what it says.